Penn State has a long history of providing institutional support for diverse programs that encourage investigators to take risks to tackle new ideas that are not mature enough for more traditional funding mechanisms. In particular, significant resources have been invested in pilot funding for clinical and translational research in far-reaching, often nontraditional, areas where there are investigators with unique talents and interests. There is also an established track record of encouraging and providing seed funding for interactions between basic and clinical scientists, engineers and physicians, and physicians and social scientists. For the TCORS, there will be an emphasis on enabling projects that span disciplines and institutions, and being able to respond nimbly to new opportunities. Priority will be given to projects that have a high potential for attracting external funding.